Virginia Tech’s Kyle Fuller and North Carolina State’s David Amerson were All-ACC cornerbacks last season. Saturday, each surrendered long, game-winning touchdown passes in the waning seconds.

Those reversals of fortune capture the early essence of this ACC football season.

Offense rules. Specifically, the passing offense.

Last year, no ACC quarterback had a 400-yard passing game. Less than halfway through 2012, Boston College’s Chase Rettig, North Carolina State’s Mike Glennon and Miami’s Stephen Morris (twice) have thrown for 400-plus.

Last season, Clemson led the ACC in passing at 282.3 yards per game. This year, eight of the conference’s 12 teams are averaging more than 283, led by Boston College’s 330.

Sure, it’s only Oct. 1, and the small statistical sample exaggerates non-conference mismatches against the likes of Savannah State, Maine and North Carolina Central. But narrowing the focus to ACC games provides a similar view.

Starting with Miami’s 41-32 victory at Boston College on Sept. 1, league contests have threatened to short-circuit scoreboards. They haven’t crossed the boundary to West Virginia-Baylor absurdity, but they certainly have aggravated defensive coordinators.

The 10 ACC games to date have produced 675 points, a 67.5 average and 30.6-percent bump from last year’s 51.7. Moreover, nine of the 10 featured at least 52 points — the exception was Virginia Tech’s 20-17 overtime win over Georgia Tech.

Indeed, the Hokies (3-2) and Virginia (2-3) have been largely immune to the trend with offensive issues responsible, in large measure, for their disappointing starts.

The Seminoles and Tigers combined for 670 passing yards and six touchdown passes, with FSU’s EJ Manuel throwing for a career-best 380. The Hurricanes and Wolfpack teamed for 1,006, passing yards, an ACC-record 566 by Morris and 440 by Glennon.

Morris broke the league mark of 545 set by Wake Forest’s Rusty LaRue in 1995 against N.C. State. The 1,006 yards shattered the conference record of 928 established in that ’95 Wake-State contest.

Much to the consternation of Wolfpack faithful, 62 of Morris’ yards came on a tie-breaking touchdown heave to Phillip Dorsett with 19 seconds remaining. Dorsett victimized Amerson, who last season intercepted an ACC-record 13 passes.

Less than four hours later, with Virginia Tech nursing a 24-20, lead over Cincinnati, Bearcats receiver Damon Julian got behind Fuller for an acrobatic 39-yard touchdown catch with 13 seconds remaining.

It was that kind of September in the ACC and perhaps not surprising since 10 league teams returned their starting quarterback. Moreover, receivers such as Clemson’s Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins, and Duke’s Conner Vernon were back.

Hopkins set a Clemson record with 197 yards receiving in Saturday’s 45-31 victory at Boston College. Vernon needs one reception to break the ACC career mark of 232 held by Clemson’s Aaron Kelly.

The irony is that one of the teams that didn’t return its quarterback was Miami.

A junior, Morris started four games as a freshman in 2010 when Jacory Harris sustained a concussion at Virginia — Morris threw for 162 yards in the second half against the Cavaliers. Morris started one game last season in place of Harris, and this year he leads the ACC with 1,635 yards passing, 1,002 in the last two games.

Purists might argue that the real story thus far is the ACC’s lack of defense, and they may have a case.

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said Monday morning he and his staff have discussed how to get the offense in gear early in games, which seems like a logical place to start considering there’s almost no place for Tech’s offense to go but up in the first quarter of games.

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer made his best efforts at damage control after Saturday’s 27-24 loss to Cincinnati. He talked about already having a win in the ACC’s Coastal Division on their side and still having the entire conference slate ahead of it.